I did it!

I am an official online master's student. I started yesterday and was immediately freaked by the amount of work I need to do. But when you break into small chewables it's not so bad. I will need to manage my time well but God will get me through. Prayer for this is needed.
We have another typhoon hitting the island although it may not be as severe as the last one.
Shout out to Theresa. Miss you.

Cutie

His name is Tate. He is my nephew. I think this picture of him is so adorable. I have not yet seen him face to face. I am so excited that he will be coming here in December. He will bring along his mommy and daddy (Kenny and Jo). It thrills me to see the pictures but I also know that seeing pictures and seeing in person is not the same thing. It reminds me of what Paul said to the Corinthians. "Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everthing with perfect clarity." (1 Corinthians 13:12a) I want to see clearly the purposes God has for me and yet I know that might give me a big head. I want to be able to say with certainty that God is going to do this with me. I am imperfect and thus am not able to see all. God gives me glimpses so I know the direction and the next step but where it will end is uncertain. Or is it. I know one thing. As I follow Him, He will lead to Himself. Ah. Sweet.

Playing Games

You see a picture of some people from our church and I playing Risk. It was taken on a recent church retreat. I am in the midst of a time when I feel like I am just playing games. I want to think I can be a serious student but am haunted by the thought that despite all hard work I put in to getting my Master's I am fooling noone into thinking I know anything. I am just playing games. Just fooling myself. I have already done my first weeks readings and am about to begin my first paper. I haven't even talked to the professor yet about details ( though I do have the first assignment). I guess I hope to impress with diligence and hard work. Not bad things but they can be a cover for original ideas and thoughts. God give me the confidence I need to understand and present my own ideas to others in the class effectively.
Leanne has had someone want to buy her hand made cards. She is thrilled.

Surprise!

I was a little surprised to realize people read my blog. I appreciate knowing someone is out there remembering to check in on me. It reminds me to check in my friends. I so often feel self pity that no one cares about me. Then I am reninded that I so often forget to check in on people. Sorry to all that I have done this to you. Know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Just not always in my communications. God bless you all.

Stop

I want to stop worrying. I want to stop being a pain in the butt. I want this crazy ride to stop. I want to stop wondering what the next step is. I want to stop being the weak one in the group. I want to stop giving in. I want to stop being selfish. I want to stop giving so much. I want to stop being a contradiction. I want to stop writin..........

Unseen

The Wind. It moves where we cannot see. It touches places we can't get to. It is felt by all yet seen by none. We could easily say it does not exist if not for the cool sensation on my skin and effect it can have on my mood. Walking on a hot day I can be miserable until that breeze touches my sweaty skin and I exclaim "Praise the Lord". His Spirit is much the same. We don't see Him but we know He is there. As we go into pits of despair and frustration He comes along and cools our spirit. We can do little else but exclaim "Praise the Lord. Your Loving kindess is new every morning. The Spirit.

Eating Ice Cream

Well we didn't eat ice cream. It felt a little surreal to be having a picnic outside in March in the middle of a snowy field. We couldn't find a picnic table anywhere else. I found it cool (excuse the double entendre( it was intended by the way)). I enjoyed being out in God's creation. I saw it in Canada in the grandiosity of the Rockies. I see it in Taiwan in the people here. All those people wandering in the darkness, eyes not open to the truth only God can reveal. Or maybe they just have never been pointed in the right direction. Sometimes you can be in the most beautiful place in the world and not know it because you are looking the wrong way. I guess my job is to be a pointer. Once people see Jesus' sacrifice they can choose for themselves.

The Right Spirit

This is a picture of our band practicing for worship on Sunday. Not long after this picture was taken my guitar string broke. I was totally frazzled with only an hour to go until the service we only had a crappy little practice guitar which has terrible sound. Some people helped us and changed the strings on the guitar in time. However I was not focussed on God. All I could think was "NEW STRINGS BREAK" over and over again. When we prayed later one member of the band mentioned the tension she felt was evident and I realized I needed to give this all to God. If I don't there will be no worship in my heart. I did. and God kept the strings strong throughout the service. PTL. It is so important that when we worship God that our spirit is focussed on Him or there is no true worship happening. ONly when we focus all of ourselves on God can we enter into true worship.

Water

Cleansing, Refreshing, Quenching, Life-Giving, Cool, We need it, We search for it, We would do anything to get it when we are in need of it. Jesus, the living water. The cleansing of His death is water to my soul. Worship Him, Praise Him and no other.

Something New

I had never travelled a long way on a big ship before this trip to Penghu. I was unsure of what it would be like. Would we get sea sick? Would we feel the ocean moving? I was nervous but once we started the trip found that there was nothing to worry about. No real motion could be felt. It was a great and comfortable trip. It reflects how I often view changes in my life. I know I need to do something new but am scared of many aspects of it. Am I able? How is it done? Will I be exposed as a fraud? As I prepare to study online for my Master's these doubts come rushing in. Lord help me to trust in You.

At the Feet

In Shi Tou there are these statues which depict Dr. Sun Yet San with many students around him. He is the founder of the Republic of China. He is revered as a great teacher and as a Father of both China and Taiwan. It is the one thing the two sides can agree upon. Teachers in Chinese culture are highly respected. As a teacher in Taiwan I have felt this respect given to me and I appreciate it. Yet putting your trust in a teacher (Confucianism) can only end in dissappointment as humans are all imperfect and fallable. Only one isn't. More than a Teacher. More than a master. The only perfect one. I fall at His Feet. Christ alone.

Home

Here we are in Singapore about to go into the zoo there. We found it to be an extremely beautiful place. The animals seemed to be in very realistic surroundings. They seemed happy and content even though it was not anything like what they would experience if they were in their real home. It reminds me of myself. I am comfortable here and can't really imagine what heaven will be like and why it is going to be so much better than where we are now. I am told it will be but I don't understand yet. I will!